Rurality and patients' hospital experience: A multisite analysis from a US healthcare system.

BACKGROUND: The association between rurality of patients' residence and hospital experience is incompletely described. The objective of the study was to compare hospital experience by rurality of patients' residence. METHODS: From a US Midwest institution's 17 hospitals, we included 56,685 patients who returned a post-hospital Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. We defined rurality using rural-urban commuting area codes (metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, rural). We evaluated the association of patient characteristics with top-box score (favorable response) for 10 HCAHPS items (six composite, two individual, two global). We obtained adjusted odds ratios (aOR [95% CI]) from logistic regression models including patient characteristics. We used key driver analysis to identify associations between HCAHPS items and global rating (combined overall rating of hospital and recommend hospital). RESULTS: Of all items, overall rating of hospital had lower odds of favorable response for patients from metropolitan (0.88 [0.81-0.94]), micropolitan (0.86 [0.79-0.94]), and small towns (0.90 [0.82-0.98]) compared with rural areas (global test, P = .003). For five items, lower odds of favorable response was observed for select areas compared with rural; for example, recommend hospital for patients from micropolitan (0.88 [0.81-0.97]) but not metropolitan (0.97 [0.89-1.05]) or small towns (0.93 [0.85-1.02]). For four items, rurality showed no association. In metropolitan, micropolitan, and small towns, men vs. women had higher odds of favorable response to most items, whereas in rural areas, sex-based differences were largely absent. Key driver analysis identified care transition, communication about medicines and environment as drivers of global rating, independent of rurality. CONCLUSIONS: Rural patients reported similar or modestly more favorable hospital experience. Determinants of favorable experience across rurality categories may inform system-wide and targeted improvement.

Trends and Distribution of IPAAs in the United States: Becoming Harder to Find in Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency Training?

BACKGROUND: There has been concern among colon and rectal surgery residency programs in the United States that IPAA procedures have been decreasing, but evidence is limited. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the number of IPAAs performed by colon and rectal surgery residents in the United States and analyze the distribution of these cases on a national level. DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTINGS: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Case Log National Data Reports were used to evaluate the number of IPAAs performed by residents from 2005 to 2021. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was used to identify all patients undergoing these procedures from 2005 to 2019. PATIENTS: All IPAA procedures regardless of indication. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the number of IPAAs performed by residents yearly. The secondary outcome was the national distribution of these procedures. RESULTS: Among colon and rectal surgery residents, case log data revealed an increase in mean and total number of IPAAs from 2005 to 2013, followed by a decline in both metrics after 2013. Despite the decrease, the mean number of cases per resident remained fewer than 6 between 2011 and 2021. A weighted national estimate of 48,532 IPAA patients were identified in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. A significant decrease was noted in the number of IPAAs after 2015 that persisted through 2019. There was a significant decrease in rural and urban nonteaching hospitals (from 2.1% to 1.6% and 25.6% to 4.3%, respectively; p < 0.001) and an increase in urbanteaching hospitals (from 72.4% to 94.1%; p < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: Nonrandomized retrospective study design. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the recent increase in the percentage of IPAAs performed at urban academic centers, there has been a decrease in cases performed by colon and rectal surgery residents. This can have significant implications for residents who graduate without adequate experience in performing this complex procedure independently, as well as training programs that may face challenges with maintaining accreditation. See Video Abstract. TENDENCIAS Y DISTRIBUCIN DE LA ANASTOMOSIS ANAL CON BOLSA ILEAL EN LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS SE EST VOLVIENDO MS DIFCIL DE ENCONTRAR EN LA CAPACITACIN DE RESIDENCIA EN CIRUGA DE COLON Y RECTO: ANTECEDENTES:Ha habido preocupación entre los programas de capacitación de residencia en cirugía de colon y recto en los Estados Unidos porque los procedimientos de anastomosis anal con bolsa ileal han estado disminuyendo; sin embargo, la evidencia es limitada.OBJETIVO:Evaluar el número de anastomosis anales con bolsa ileal realizadas por residentes de cirugía de colon y recto en los Estados Unidos y examinar la distribución de estos casos a nivel nacional.DISEÑO:Retrospectivo.AJUSTES:Se utilizaron los informes de datos nacionales del registro de casos de educación médica de posgrado del Consejo de Acreditación para examinar el número de anastomosis anales con bolsa ileal realizadas por residentes de 2005 a 2021. Se utilizó la base de datos de muestra nacional de pacientes hospitalizados para identificar a todos los pacientes sometidos a estos procedimientos de 2005 a 2019.PACIENTES:Todos los procedimientos de anastomosis anal con bolsa ileal independientemente de la indicación.MEDIDA DE RESULTADO PRINCIPAL:El resultado primario es el número de anastomosis anales con bolsa ileal realizadas por los residentes anualmente. El resultado secundario es la distribución nacional de estos procedimientos.RESULTADOS:Entre los residentes de cirugía de colon y recto, los datos de los registros de casos revelaron un aumento en el número medio y total de anastomosis anal con bolsa ileal de 2005 a 2013, seguido de una disminución en ambas métricas después de 2013. A pesar de la disminución, el número medio de casos por El residente permaneció >6 entre 2011 y 2021. Se identificó una estimación nacional ponderada de 48 532 pacientes con anastomosis anal con bolsa ileal en la base de datos de la Muestra Nacional de Pacientes Hospitalizados. Se observó una disminución significativa en el número de anastomosis anales con bolsa ileal después de 2015 que persistió hasta 2019. Hubo una disminución significativa en los hospitales no docentes rurales y urbanos (del 2,1% al 1,6% y del 25,6% al 4,3% respectivamente, p < 0,001) y un aumento en los hospitales universitarios urbanos (del 72,4% al 94,1%, p < 0,001).LIMITACIONES:Estudio retrospectivo no aleatorizado.CONCLUSIÓN:A pesar del reciente aumento en el porcentaje de anastomosis anal con bolsa ileal realizadas en centros académicos urbanos, ha habido una disminución en los casos realizados por residentes de cirugía de colon y recto. Esto puede tener implicaciones significativas para los residentes que se gradúan sin la experiencia adecuada en la realización de este complejo procedimiento de forma independiente, así como para los programas de capacitación que pueden enfrentar desafíos para mantener la acreditación. (Traduccion-AI-generated).

Thrombotic and Hemorrhagic Outcomes After Elective Surgery in Preoperatively Anticoagulated Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To better understand the incidence and timing of thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications in anticoagulated patients undergoing elective surgery. METHODS: Using institutional American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data, we identified patients receiving preoperative anticoagulation undergoing elective surgery between 2011 and 2021. Medical records review supplemented National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data to detail complication and anticoagulation type and timing. Outcomes for postoperative hemorrhage, acute venous thromboembolism (VTE), and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) were collected. RESULTS: A total of 1442 patients met inclusion criteria, and 84 patients (5.8%) experienced 1 or more complications. There were 4 CVA (0.3%), 16 VTE (1.1%), and 68 bleeding (4.7%) events postoperatively. Three patients (75%) with CVA, 10 patients (62.5%) with VTE, and 18 patients (26.5%) with postoperative bleeding had resumed therapeutic anticoagulation before the complication. In terms of long-term sequelae in the CVA cohort, there was 1 mortality (25%), and an additional patient (25%) continues to experience long-term physical and mild cognitive impairments. Patients who experienced postoperative VTE required only anticoagulation adjustments. In patients who experienced bleeding complications, 6 (8.8%) required intensive care unit admissions, and there was 1 mortality (1.5%). CONCLUSION: Despite the increased use of anticoagulation over time, balancing postoperative bleeding and thrombotic risks remains challenging. Bleeding complications were most common in preoperatively anticoagulated patients undergoing elective surgery. Earlier postoperative resumption of anticoagulation is unlikely to prevent thrombotic events as 65% of patients had already resumed therapeutic anticoagulation.

Neuroendocrine Tumors of Unknown Primary in the Setting of Cytoreductive Hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND: Surgical cytoreduction for neuroendocrine tumor liver metastasis (NETLM) consistently shows positive long-term outcomes. Despite reservations in guidelines for surgery when the primary tumor is unidentified (UP-NET), this study compared the surgical and oncologic long-term outcomes between patients with these rare cases undergoing cytoreductive surgery and patients who had liver resection for known primaries. METHODS: The study identified 32 unknown primary liver metastases (UP-NETLM) in 522 retrospectively evaluated patients who underwent resection of well-differentiated NETLM between January 2000 and December 2020. Tumor and patient characteristics were compared with those in 490 cases of liver metastasis from small intestinal (SI-NETLM) or pancreatic (pNETLM) primaries. Survival analysis was performed to highlight long-term outcome differences. Surgical outcomes were compared between liver resections alone and simultaneous primary resections to assess surgical risk distinctions. RESULTS: The UP-NET patients had fewer NETLMs (p = 0.004), which on the average were larger than SI-NETLMs or pNETLMs (p = 0.002). Expression of Ki-67 was balanced among the groups. Major hepatectomy was performed more often in the UP-NETLM group (p = 0.017). The 10-year survival rate of 53% for UP-NETLM was comparable with that for SI-NETML (58%; p = 0.463) and pNETLMs (47%; p = 0.497). The median hepatic progression-free survival was 26 months for the UP-NETLM patients and 25 months for the SI-NETLM patients compared to 12 months for the pNETLM patients (p < 0.001). Perioperative mortality was lower than 2%, and severe postoperative morbidity occurred in 21%, similarly distributed among all the groups. CONCLUSION: The surgical risk and long-term outcomes for the UP-NETLM patients were comparable with those for other NETLM cases, affirming the validity of equally aggressive surgical cytoreduction as a therapeutic option in carefully selected cases.

The Impact of an Overactive Bladder Care Pathway on Longitudinal Patient Management.

IMPORTANCE: Implementation of an overactive bladder (OAB) care pathway may affect treatment patterns and progression. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the effect of OAB care pathway implementation on treatment patterns for women with OAB. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study evaluated women with OAB, before (January 1, 2015-December 31, 2017) and after (January 1, 2019-December 31, 2021) care pathway initiation. Care pathway use included standardized counseling, early introduction of therapy, and close follow-up. Primary outcomes included OAB medication use, follow-up visits, third-line therapy, and time to third-line therapy. RESULTS: A total of 1,349 women were included: 1,194 before care pathway implementation and 155 after. Patients after implementation were more likely to have diabetes mellitus (P = 0.04) and less likely to smoke (P = 0.01). Those managed via a care pathway were more likely to use any medication or third-line therapy within 1 year after consultation (61.3% vs 25.0%; P < 0.001). This included higher proportions receiving a medication (50.3% [95% confidence interval (CI), 41.8%-57.6%] vs 23.3% [95% CI, 20.9%-25.7%]; P < 0.001) and progressing to third-line therapy (22.6% [95% CI, 15.7%-28.9%] vs 2.9% [95% CI, 2%-3.9%]; P < 0.001). Among those who underwent third-line treatment, care pathway use was associated with shorter time to third-line therapy (median, 10 days [interquartile range, 1-56 days] vs 29 days [interquartile range, 7-191 days]; P = 0.013). Those managed via a care pathway were less likely to have additional clinic visits for OAB within 1 year after initial consultation (12.3% vs 23.9%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Use of an OAB care pathway was associated with higher rates of oral medication and third-line therapy yet decreased follow-up office visits. Use of an OAB care pathway may promote consistent and efficient care for women with OAB.

Distinct presentation of melanoma in Black patients may inform strategies to improve outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Melanoma guidelines stem largely from data on non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients. We aimed to identify features of melanoma within non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients to inform strategies for earlier detection and treatment. METHODS: From 2004 to 2019 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, we identified nonmetastatic melanoma patients with known TN category and race. Kaplan-Meier cancer-specific survival (CSS) estimates and multivariable Cox proportional hazard modeling analyses were performed. RESULTS: Of 492 597 patients, 1499 (0.3%) were NHB, who were younger (21% vs. 17% age <50) and more commonly female (54% vs. 41%) than NHW, both p < 0.0005. For NHBs, lower extremity was the most common site (52% vs. 15% for NHWs, p < 0.0001), T category was higher (55% Tis-T1 vs. 82%; 27% T3-T4 vs. 8%, p < 0.0001) and stage at presentation was higher (19% Stage III, vs. 6%, p < 0.0001). Within the NHB cohort, males were older, and more often node-positive than females. Five-year Stage III CSS was 42% for NHB males versus 71% for females, adjusting for age and clinical nodal status (hazard ratio 2.48). CONCLUSIONS: NHB melanoma patients presented with distinct tumor characteristics. NHB males with Stage III disease had inferior CSS. Focus on this high-risk patient cohort to promote earlier detection and treatment may improve outcomes.

Outpatient surgery benchmarks and practice variation patterns: Case controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Despite numerous potential benefits of outpatient surgery, there is currently a lack of national benchmarking data available for hospitals and surgeons to compare their own outcomes as they transition toward outpatient surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent 14 common general surgery operations from 2016-2020 were identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. Operations were selected based on frequency and the ability to be performed both in- and outpatient. Postoperative complications and readmissions were compared between patients who underwent inpatient vs outpatient surgery. After adjusting for patient comorbidities, multivariable models assessed the effect of patient characteristics on the odds of experiencing postoperative complications. A separate multiinstitutional study of 21 affiliated hospitals assessed practice variation. RESULTS: In 13 of the 14 studied procedures, complications were lower for patients who were selected for outpatient surgery (all P<0.01); minimally invasive (MIS) adrenalectomy showed no difference (P=0.61). Multivariable analysis confirmed these findings; the odds of experiencing any adverse events were lower following outpatient surgery in all operations but MIS adrenalectomy (OR 0.97; 95% CI 0.47-2.02). Analysis of institutional practices demonstrated variation in the rate of outpatient surgery in certain breast, endocrine, and hernia repair operations. CONCLUSIONS: Institutional practice patterns may explain the national variation in the rate of outpatient surgery. While the present data does not support the adoption of outpatient surgery to less optimal candidates, addressing unexplained practice variations could result in improved utilization of outpatient surgery.

Timing and Location of Venous Thromboembolisms After Surgery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are reported to be at elevated risk for postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE). The rate and location of these VTE complications is unclear. METHODS: Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD) undergoing intestinal operations between January 2006 and March 2021 were identified from the medical record at a single institution. The overall incidence of VTEs and their anatomic location were determined to 90 days postoperatively. RESULTS: In 2716 operations in patients with UC, VTE prevalence was 1.95% at 1-30 days, 0.74% at 31-60 days, and 0.48% at 90 days (P < 0.0001). Seventy two percent of VTEs within the first 30 days were in the portomesenteric system, and this remained the location for the majority of VTE events at 31-60 and 61-90 days postoperatively. In the first 30 days, proctectomies had the highest incidence of VTEs (2.5%) in patients with UC. In 2921 operations in patients with CD, VTE prevalence was 1.43%, 0.55%, and 0.41% at 1-30 days, 31-60 days, and 61-90 days, respectively (P < 0.0001). Portomesenteric VTEs accounted for 31% of all VTEs within 30 days postoperatively. In the first 30 days, total abdominal colectomies had the highest incidence of VTEs (2.5%) in patients with CD. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of VTEs within 90 days of surgery for UC and Crohn's are diagnosed within the first 30 days. The risk of a VTE varies by the extent of the operation performed, with portomesenteric VTE representing a substantial proportion of events.

Pregnancy-associated melanoma: characteristics and outcomes from 2002 to 2020.

Melanoma diagnosed within 1 year of pregnancy is defined as pregnancy-associated melanoma (PAM). No robust data on how pregnancy influences melanoma nor guidelines for PAM management exist. With IRB approval, female patients with a pathology-confirmed melanoma diagnosis within 1 year of pregnancy treated at our institution from 2000 to 2020 were identified. Controls from the cancer registry were matched 1 : 4 when available on decade of age, year of surgery (±5), and stage. We identified 83 PAM patients with median follow-up of 86 months. Mean age at diagnosis was 31 years. 80% AJCC V8 stage I, 2.4% stage II, 13% stage III, 4.8% stage IV. Mean Breslow thickness was 0.79 mm and 3.6% exhibited ulceration. The mean mitotic rate was 0.76/mm 2 . In terms of PAM management, 98.6% of ESD patients and 86.7% of LSD patients received standard-of-care therapy per NCCN guidelines for their disease stage. No clinically significant delays in treatment were noted. Time to treatment from diagnosis to systemic therapy for LSD patients was an average of 46 days (95% CI: 34-59 days). Comparing the 83 PAM patients to 309 controls matched on age, stage, and year of diagnosis, similar 5-year overall survival (97% vs. 97%, P  = 0.95) or recurrence-free survival (96% vs. 96%, P  = 0.86) was observed. The outcomes of PAM following SOC treatment at a highly specialized center for melanoma care were comparable to non-PAM when matched by clinical-pathologic features. Specialty center care is encouraged for women with PAM.

Bariatric surgery is as safe as other common operations: an analysis of the ACS-NSQIP.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (MBS) is the most effective management for patients with obesity and weight-related medical conditions. Nonetheless, some primary care physicians (PCPs) and surgeons from other specialties are reluctant to refer patients for MBS due to safety concerns. OBJECTIVES: To compare the outcomes of patients who underwent MBS with those who underwent other common operations. SETTING: American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP). METHODS: Patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), classified as MBS, were compared to nine frequently performed procedures including hip arthroplasty and laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendectomy, colectomy, hysterectomy, and hernia repairs, among others. A multivariable logistic regression was constructed to compare outcomes including readmission, reoperation, extended length of stay (ELOS) (>75th percentile or ≥3 days) and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 1.6 million patients were included, with 11.1% undergoing MBS. The odds of readmission were marginally lower in the cholecystectomy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = .88, 95% confidence interval (CI) [.85, .90]) and appendectomy (aOR = .88, 95% CI [.85, .90]) cohorts. Similarly, odds of ELOS were among the lowest, surpassed only by same-day procedures such as cholecystectomies and appendectomies. The MBS group had significantly low odds of mortality, comparable to safe anatomical procedures such as hernia repairs. Infectious and thrombotic complications were exceedingly rare and amongst the lowest after MBS. CONCLUSIONS: MBS demonstrates a remarkably promising safety profile and compares favorably to other common procedures in the short-term. PCPs and surgeons from other specialties can confidently refer patients for these low-risk, lifesaving operations.

Perioperative Outcomes of Vesicovaginal Fistula Repair by Surgical Approach.

IMPORTANCE: Data comparing perioperative outcomes between transvaginal, transabdominal, and laparoscopic/robotic vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) repair are limited but are important for surgical planning and patient counseling. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess perioperative morbidity of VVF repair performed via various approaches. STUDY DESIGN: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used to identify women who underwent transvaginal, transabdominal, or laparoscopic/robotic VVF repair from 2009 to 2020. Associations of surgical approach with baseline characteristics, blood transfusion, prolonged hospitalization (>4 days), and 30-day outcomes (any major or minor complication or return to the operating room) were evaluated with χ 2 , Fisher exact, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the adjusted association of approach with 30-day complications and prolonged hospitalization. RESULTS: Overall, 449 women underwent VVF repair, including 252 transvaginal (56.1%), 148 transabdominal (33.0%), and 49 laparoscopic/robotic procedures (10.9%). Abdominal repair was associated with a longer length of hospitalization (median, 3 days vs 1 day transvaginal and laparoscopic/robotic; P < 0.001), higher risk of prolonged length of stay (abdominal, 21.1%; transvaginal, 4.0%; laparoscopic/robotic, 2.0%; P < 0.001), major complications (abdominal, 4.7%; transvaginal, 0.8%; laparoscopic/robotic, 0.0%; P = 0.03), and perioperative transfusion (abdominal, 5.0%; transvaginal, 0.0%; laparoscopic/robotic, 2.1%; P = 0.01). On multivariable analysis, the abdominal approach was independently associated with an increased risk of prolonged hospitalization compared with laparoscopic/robotic (odds ratio, 12.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.63-93.21; P = 0.02) and transvaginal (odds ratio, 6.09; 95% confidence interval, 2.87-12.92; P < 0.001) but not with major/minor complications ( P = 0.76). CONCLUSION: Transvaginal and laparoscopic/robotic approaches to VVF repair are associated with lower rates of prolonged hospitalization, major complications, and readmission compared with a transabdominal approach.

Evaluating the Long-term Impact of Implementing Standardized Postoperative Opioid Prescribing Recommendations Following Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery.

IMPORTANCE: Improving opioid stewardship is important, given the common use of opioids and resultant adverse events. Evidence-based prescribing recommendations for surgeons may help reduce opioid prescribing after specific procedures. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess longitudinal prescribing patterns for patients undergoing pelvic organ prolapse surgery in the 2 years before and after implementing evidence-based opioid prescribing recommendations. STUDY DESIGN: In December 2017, a 3-tiered opioid prescribing recommendation was created based on prospective data on postoperative opioid use after pelvic organ prolapse surgery. For this follow-up study, prescribing patterns, including quantity of opioids prescribed (in oral morphine equivalents [OMEs]) and refill rates, were retrospectively compared for patients undergoing prolapse surgery before (November 2015-November 2017; n = 238) and after (December 2017-December 2019; n = 361) recommendation implementation. Univariate analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon rank sum and χ2 tests. Cochran-Armitage trend tests and interrupted time-series analysis tested for significance in the change in OMEs prescribed before versus after recommendation implementation. RESULTS: After recommendation implementation, the quantity of postoperative opioids prescribed decreased from median 225 mg OME (interquartile range, 225, 300 mg OME) to 71.3 mg OME (interquartile range, 0, 112.5 mg OME; P < 0.0001). Decreases also occurred within each subgroup of prolapse surgery: native tissue vaginal repair ( P < 0.0001), robotic sacrocolpopexy ( P < 0.0001), open sacrocolpopexy ( P < 0.0001), and colpocleisis ( P < 0.003). The proportion of patients discharged following prolapse surgery without opioids increased (4.2% vs 36.6%; P < 0.0001), and the rate of opioid refills increased (2.1% vs 6.0%; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: With 2 years of postimplementation follow-up, the use of procedure-specific, tiered opioid prescribing recommendations at our institution was associated with a significant, sustained reduction in opioids prescribed. This study further supports using evidence-based recommendations for opioid prescribing.

Practice patterns and complications of hysterectomy for invasive cervical cancer after the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial.

BACKGROUND: After the publication of the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial, the standard surgical approach for early-stage cervical cancer is open radical hysterectomy. Only limited data were available regarding whether the change to open abdominal hysterectomy observed after the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial led to an increase in postoperative complication rates as a consequence of the decrease in the use of the minimally invasive approach. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze whether there was a correlation between the publication of the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial and an increase in the 30-day complications associated with surgical treatment of invasive cervical cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program were used to compare the results in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (January 2016 to December 2017) vs the results in the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (January 2019 to December 2020). The rates of each surgical approach (open abdominal or minimally invasive) hysterectomy for invasive cervical cancer during the 2 periods were assessed. Subsequently, 30-day major complication, minor complication, unplanned hospital readmission, and intra- or postoperative transfusion rates before and after the publication of the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial were compared. RESULTS: Overall, 3024 patients undergoing either open abdominal hysterectomy or minimally invasive hysterectomy for invasive cervical cancer were included in the study. Of the patients, 1515 (50.1%) were treated in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period, and 1509 (49.9%) were treated in the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period. The rate of minimally invasive approaches decreased significantly from 75.6% (1145/1515) in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period to 41.1% (620/1509) in the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period, whereas the rate of open abdominal approach increased from 24.4% (370/1515) in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period to 58.9% (889/1509) in the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (P<.001). The overall 30-day major complications remained stable between the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (85/1515 [5.6%]) and the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (74/1509 [4.9%]) (adjusted odds ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.61-1.17). The overall 30-day minor complications were similar in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (103/1515 [6.8%]) vs the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (120/1509 [8.0%]) (adjusted odds ratio, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.89-1.55). The unplanned hospital readmission rate remained stable during the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (7.9% per 30 person-days) and during the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (6.3% per 30 person-days) (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-1.04)]. The intra- and postoperative transfusion rates increased significantly from 3.8% (58/1515) in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period to 6.7% (101/1509) in the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (adjusted odds ratio, 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-2.53). CONCLUSION: This study observed a significant shift in the surgical approach for invasive cervical cancer after the publication of the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial, with a reduction in the minimally invasive abdominal approach and an increase in the open abdominal approach. The change in surgical approach was not associated with an increase in the rate of 30-day major or minor complications and unplanned hospital readmission, although it was associated with an increase in the transfusion rate.

The effect of concomitant hysterectomy on complications following pelvic organ prolapse surgery.

PURPOSE: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery is performed with and without concomitant hysterectomy depending on a variety of factors. The objective was to compare 30-day major complications following POP surgery with and without concomitant hysterectomy. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) multicenter database to compare 30-day complications using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for POP with or without concomitant hysterectomy. Patients were grouped by procedure: Vaginal prolapse repair (VAGINAL), minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy (MISC), and open abdominal sacrocolpopexy (OASC). 30-day postoperative complications and other relevant data were evaluated in patients who underwent concomitant hysterectomy compared to those who did not. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the association of concomitant hysterectomy on 30-day major complications stratified by surgical approach. RESULTS: 60,201 women undergoing POP surgery comprised our cohort. Within 30 days of surgery, there were 1722 major complications in 1432 patients (2.4%). Prolapse surgery alone had a significantly lower overall complication rate than with concomitant hysterectomy (1.95% vs 2.81%; p < .001). Multivariable analysis revealed odds of complications following POP surgery was higher among women who underwent concomitant hysterectomy compared to those who did not have hysterectomy in VAGINAL (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.36-1.72), OASC (OR 2.70, 95% CI 1.69-4.33), and overall (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.31-1.62), but not in MISC (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.67-1.46.) CONCLUSION: Concomitant hysterectomy at the time of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery increases the risk of 30-day postoperative complications in comparison to prolapse surgery alone in our overall cohort.

Risk of hysterectomy at the time of myomectomy: an underestimated surgical risk.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of hysterectomy at the time of myomectomy and the associated 30-day postoperative morbidity. DESIGN: Cohort study. PATIENTS: Patients who underwent myomectomies identified from the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from 2010 to 2021. INTERVENTION: Unplanned hysterectomy at the time of a myomectomy procedure. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Current Procedural Terminology codes were used to identify myomectomies performed with or without concurrent hysterectomy. Preoperative characteristics and morbidity outcomes were obtained. The univariate analysis was performed using the chi-square and Fisher exact tests, as appropriate. Multivariate logistic regression reported risk factors for individuals who underwent hysterectomy at the time of myomectomy. P values of <.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 13,213 individuals underwent myomectomy, and 399 (3.0%) had a hysterectomy performed during myomectomy. Concurrent hysterectomy was most frequently performed with the laparoscopic approach (7.1%), followed by the abdominal (3.2%) and hysteroscopic (1.9%) approaches. Age ≥43 years, obesity class II and higher, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class greater than II, tobacco use, longer operative time (>85 minutes), and laparoscopic approach were associated with a significantly increased risk of hysterectomy. When adjusting for age, body mass index, race, ASA class, case type, surgical approach, operative time, preoperative transfusion, preoperative hematocrit, and high fibroid burden, an increased odds of hysterectomy was noted for white race, longer operative time, ASA class III or higher, obesity, laparoscopic approach, and low fibroid burden. Patients who underwent concurrent hysterectomy had a longer median length of hospital stay (2 vs. 1 day), longer median operative time (161 vs. 126 minutes), increased intraoperative/postoperative blood transfusions (14.5% vs. 9.0%), and higher rates of organ/space surgical site infections (1.5% vs. 0.5%) and return to surgery (2.0% vs. 0.7%) than those who did not (P<.05). The risk of a major complication within 30 days of myomectomy increased in patients who underwent concurrent hysterectomy after adjusting for relevant confounders (adjusted odds ratio, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-3.2). CONCLUSION: The risk of hysterectomy during a myomectomy is higher than previously reported. The patient age of ≥43 years, obesity, white race, ASA class III or higher, longer operative time, and laparoscopic approach were associated with higher odds of hysterectomy. Identification of patients with these risk factors can aid in patient counseling and surgical planning, which may help reduce the unexpectedly high rates of hysterectomy at planned myomectomy.

Incidence of venous thromboembolism following adrenalectomy: A CESQIP analysis.

BACKGROUND: We aim to evaluate the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) following adrenalectomy. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the Collaborative Endocrine Surgery Quality Improvement Program was performed to assess incidence for VTE, including pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis, in adults undergoing adrenalectomy (2014-2022). RESULTS: 2567 patients undergoing adrenalectomy were included. Surgical approach was 10% open and 90% minimally invasive. Pathology was 13% malignant and 87% benign; 19% had hypercortisolism. VTE developed in 0.27% at a median of 8 days from surgery. The incidence was higher in primary adrenal malignancy compared to benign or metastases to the adrenals, p â€‹< â€‹0.01. VTE was associated with longer hospital stay, longer operative time, readmission, and mortality. VTE rates were similar for hypercortisolism vs no hypercortisolism and between patients with clinical vs subclinical hypercortisolism. CONCLUSION: Although VTE following adrenalectomy is rare, it is more common in cases of primary adrenal malignancy, those with longer operations, or those requiring prolonged hospitalization.

Intermediate-thickness melanoma: A population-based study of surgical quality metrics.

BACKGROUND: Variability in guideline compliance for melanoma lymph node surgery is partially attributable to controversy about patient selection. Prior data has indicated suboptimal practice of sentinel lymph node biopsy and undertreatment of clinically node-positive disease, predating Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial II publication. To minimize bias, we studied compliance with lymph node surgery guidelines in T2/T3 (intermediate-thickness) melanoma patients, where the greatest agreement exists. METHODS: T2/T3 and metastasis 0 melanoma cases were identified from 2004 to 2018 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data. Analysis used Cochran-Armitage test for trends, multivariable logistic regression, and Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. RESULTS: Of 66,319 eligible T2/T3 patients, 57,211 were clinically node negative; 2,191 were clinically node positive; 6,197 were clinical node unreported; and 19,044/66,319 (28.8%) had no lymph node surgery. Among clinically node-negative patients, 36,433 (63.7%) underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy and 31,026 (85.2%) were pathologically node negative; 1,499 clinically node-positive patients (68.4%) had a lymph node dissection. Lymph node dissection rates declined from 2004 to 2018, 79.8% to 32.0% for clinically node-negative/pathologically node-positive patients and 80.4% to 61.2% for clinically node-positive/pathologically node-positive patients (both P < .0001). For clinically node-negative patients, lymph node surgery compliance improved from 63.7% (2004) to 70.4% (2018) (P < .0001). Compliance correlated with younger age, male sex, tumor mitotic rate, and site (extremity > trunk/head/neck) in multivariable analysis and improved 5-year cancer-specific survival (90.0% vs 83.4%) (all P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite clear guidelines, one-third of intermediate-thickness melanoma patients in a recent cohort did not have recommended lymph node surgery. Lymph node status is a key determinant of the relative benefit of adjuvant systemic therapy and the need for active surveillance of pathologically node-positive/clinically node-negative patients. These data highlighted a clinical care gap. Efforts to improve guideline compliance are a logical strategy to improve cancer outcomes for intermediate-thickness melanoma patients.